


Midnight

by kronette



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-12
Updated: 2016-12-12
Packaged: 2018-09-08 05:33:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8832358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kronette/pseuds/kronette
Summary: John's walk around their new home of Atlantis leads to some late night gossiping.





	

Midnight, or what passed for it on this _other planet_ in _another galaxy_ , found John walking the corridors of their new home. Atlantis, built by the ancient race that built the Stargate system. 

Even after his brief introduction into the world of aliens by Dr. Beckett, then the full weeks-long course of meetings, debriefings, reading and catching up he’d had to do, it was still a _lot_ to take in. Another galaxy. They weren’t alone in the universe.

He froze as he heard a sound behind him: the soft thud of boots on the floor and the quieter shush of clothing rasping together as whoever it was moved toward the designated mess hall. He turned in time to see the blue shirt before whatever scientist it was entered the mess. Deciding he could use a snack, too, John opted to follow them. 

Inside he discovered Dr. Zelenka muttering over the selection of MREs. Having heard Zelenka and McKay arguing in Antarctica, John had picked up a few impolite Czech phrases and he felt himself smirking. “I don’t think that’s anatomically possible,” he announced, startling the other man badly. A few choice suggestions were tossed his way and John’s smile bloomed. “I’m sorry for scaring you; it was just too easy.” 

“It is this place. Even the shadows seem alien.” Zelenka’s annoyed expression faded to nervousness as he selected an MRE and clutched it in his hand. “You speak Czech?” 

“No,” John assured him with a wicked grin. “Only what I’ve heard to you say to McKay.” 

“Oh.” Zelenka’s expression wavered between wary and nervous. “But you don’t know _what_ I’m saying?” 

John indicated some chairs and motioned for Zelenka to sit. “Not the words, but the intent is pretty clear. I think ‘go fuck yourself’ is universal.” 

Zelenka chuckled, but the underlying nervousness lingered. “You will not say anything to Rodney? He is a brilliant scientist, but he is an insufferable, egotistical man and I do not wish to be relegated to scrubbing the desalinization tanks for the rest of my life.” 

John raised his hands in a placating gesture. “Far be it from me to reveal your secrets.” 

Zelenka breathed out a sigh of relief and John watched his shoulders slump in relaxation. “I mean no disrespect, but he is so disrespectful of our suggestions. He doesn’t afford us the same courtesy we do him.” 

It was the same arguments he’d heard about McKay in Antarctica, so John let it slide, instead changing the subject. “What about Atlantis? I heard you’re breaking into teams to explore some possible labs?”

At that, Zelenka lit up, hands waving expressively as his enthusiasm overflowed for the equipment found in two rooms they’d cleared that morning. “It will take weeks, no, _months_ to catalog what we find and search the database for clues as to what it all does. That is assuming we can get it to work at all and assuming the Ancients took notes on every experiment they ran.” Zelenka blew out a breath. “It is endlessly frustrating.”

Zelenka sounded so much like McKay when he gushed over the box of Ancient doodads they’d found in a corridor that John couldn’t help but chuckle. He understood their excitement; he honestly did, but it was like watching kids hyped up on sugar. 

At sensing Zelenka’s unease at his laughter, he leaned back and crossed his arms, slouching down in his chair. “I know it is, but at least you’re doing something _constructive_. I don’t read a word of Ancient, so I’m useless to Dr. Weir. All I can do is touch stuff and activate it for you to figure out what it is and what it does. I’m only here for when things go wrong.” 

Zelenka surprised him with his scrutiny. “I suspect that is at least partially a lie, Major Sheppard. It was not your gene or military skills that got you on this expedition. Dr. Weir chose her team carefully, and you would not be here if those were the _only_ contributions you could offer.”

It was John’s turn to shift uncomfortably. None of the scientists saw his records. They couldn’t have. He was USAF; only Weir should have had access to his files. “What makes you say that?” he asked casually.

Zelenka’s intense gaze softened and he shrugged non-committally. “What we show to the world is not always who we really are. Whether we are protecting ourselves, others or nothing at all, it is no one’s business but our own. It is certainly not mine.” He finished his MRE in silence. 

Hurried footsteps preceded McKay’s entrance to the mess. “There you are!” McKay shouted as he stormed up to the table and glared down at Zelenka. ”I thought you were going to get some food and come _right back_. It’s been _hours_ and I need your help with the electrical interface on this new…oh, Major.” Zelenka’s pointed gaze at John had finally penetrated McKay’s singlemindedness. 

John carefully schooled his features to neutrally pleasant as he inwardly chuckled at McKay’s sheepish embarrassment. 

“How are you this evening?” The otherwise normal question sounded pained coming from McKay, as if he wasn’t used to any social pleasantries. 

John took pity on McKay as his hands clasped behind his back, probably to stop the nervous twisting John had seen him do on occasion. “I’m fine, Rodney. Just chatting with Dr. Zelenka here about the labs you’re going to start exploring tomorrow. I think it’s great that he’ll be leading one of the teams,” he subtly hinted, seeing Zelenka’s eyes widen in his peripheral vision. “After all, he is one of your best engineers and I’m trusting him with my puddle jumpers.” 

“I am? You are?” McKay’s bewilderment switched immediately over to arrogance. “Oh! Of course, yes. Puddle jumpers. Are you sure we can’t call them…?”

“No. Gateship,” John stressed for the fourth or fifth time, pushing himself to his feet. “I’ll let you get back to work, Dr. Zelenka. I’m glad I ran into you.” 

Zelenka still looked dazed, like he couldn’t quite believe McKay had been manipulated so easily. “So am I. I mean, yes! Good to see you.” Zelenka got to his feet and threw away his trash, with McKay following impatiently behind him. 

As McKay launched into the issue he was having with the interface, Zelenka twisted back around long enough to mouth “thank you,” before trailing after McKay and interjecting with his ideas on the solution. 

Shaking his head and smiling, John wandered back into the corridor, turning toward his quarters. Maybe he could add ‘scientist mediator’ to his list of reasons he was allowed on the expedition. He hoped Weir never had cause to tell McKay about his mathematical background. The last thing he needed was McKay hounding him about his wasted potential. He’d joined the Air Force to get away from that sort of mentality at home. Looking around at the millions of years old city in a galaxy far, far away from Earth, he thought he’d lived up to his potential pretty damned well.


End file.
